Cartridge vaccine injector

ABSTRACT

An injector for the injection of vaccines and the like beneath the layers of the skin or between layers of the skin comprising a base member having a generally flat bottom surface adapted to contact the surfaces of the skin, and a hollow tubular portion extending vertically upward from the base member. The hollow tubular portion has received therein a medicament vial. The vial has an open end and a closed end, an imperforate stopper in the open end, the open end facing the bottom of the tubular portion. A thrust portion extends from the base member upwardly within and centrally located in the tubular portion. A needle extends upwardly in the thrust portion. The upwardly extending portion of the needle has a sharpened end adapted to puncture the stopper. The needle also contains an obtuse or right angle bend and terminates with a second sharpened end in a plane at or below that plane defined by the bottom surface of the base member so that when the vial is depressed in the tubular portion, fluid communication is established between the interior of the vial and the second sharpened end of the needle.

United States Patent Ogle Jan. 7, 1975 CARTRIDGE VACCINE INJECTOR [75] Inventor: Robert Walter Ogle, Newport [57] ABSTRACT Beach Cahf- An injector for the injection of vaccines and the like Assignefir [MS Limited, Wilmington, beneath the layers of the skin or between layers of the [22] Filed: 13, 1972 skin comprising a base member having a generally flat bottom surface adapted to contact the surfaces of the PP 4,706 skin, and a hollow tubular portion extending vertically upward from the base member. The hollow tubular [52] CL 128/220 128mm D l28/2l8 M portion has received therein a medicament via]. The [51] Int. Cl A6lm 5/24 has F Open end and a Closed an lmperforate [58] Field of Search 128/220, 215, 216, 218 R, Stopper the the 6nd faclng the 28/218 N, 218 M 253, 272, 218 D 218 DA tom of the tubular portion. A thrust port1on extends 1 from the base member upwardly within and centrally [56] References Cited localed in the }tubular portionl hA needlenextendsdupwar y in t e t rust portion. e upwar y exten ing UNITED STATES PATENTS portion of the needle has a sharpened end adapted to Bay puncture the topper The needle also contains an b- 2,589,426 3/1952 Ogle r 28/216 tuse or right angle bend and terminates with a second s 252 sharpened 6nd, in a plane at or below that Plane de- 3542023 11/1970 Ogle III... 128/218 M fined by l f Surface the base membel 3:659:602 5 1972 ClOyd 128 220 that when thhvlal depress! the tubular F' 3696,8116 111/1972 Sausse 128/220 x fluid communication is cfimbhshed between the rior of the vial and the second sharpened end of the needle.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENIEDJAN 1197s SHEET 2 OF 2 Fl G.-7

1 CARTRIDGE VACCINE INJECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore various devices have been proposed for the injection of vaccines and the like between or immediately below layers of the skin. One such device is illustrated in US. Pat. No. 2,589,426. However, in this device the vaccine is stored in a hollow plastic cylinder integral with the base member. This device is operated by storing the medicine in the hollow member which is squeezable in eye dropper fashion to discharge the contents of the hollow member through a needle terminating in a plane lying slightly below the surface of the skin. This type of squeezable hollow member is unsatisfactory for the storage of any type of vaccine in practice due to the incompatibility of medicine with plastics,,and the inability of plastic to prevent vapor moisture transfer. Therefore, the device shown in the above mentioned patent has a storage life which is so limited as to make it unacceptable in commercial practice. The present invention is believed to represent a substantial advnace in the art in that the device of the present has a reciprocating medicament vial which is adapted to made out of glass which is compatible with liquid medication and completely free of vapor moisture transfer problems. Still further, the vial of the present invention is inlike the device of the above described patent in that it is capable of being so reciprocated as to expel all of the medicinal contents of the vial, a result which was not achievable by the device of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the present invention comprises an injector for the injection of vaccines and the like beneath the layers of the skin or between layers of the skin comprising a base member having a bottom surface adapted to contact the surfaces of the skin, and a hollow tubular portion extending upwardly from said base member, said hollow tubular portion having received therein a medicament vial, said vial having an open end and a closed end, an imperforate stopper in said open end, said open end facing the bottom of said tubular portion, a thrust portion extending from said base member upwardly within and centrally located in said tubular portion, a needle extending upwardly in said thrust portion, the upwardly extending portion of said needle having a sharpened end adapted to puncture said stopper, said needle containing an obtuse or right angle bend and terminating with a second sharpened end in a plane at or below that plane defined by said bottom surface of said base member so that when said vial is depressed in said tubular portion, fluid communication is established between the interior of said vial and said second sharpened end.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an injector which is very inexpensive and which can be so utilized for vaccines and other medication that the medication can be effectively administered below or between layers of the skin.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel medicament injector in which the medicament is capable of prolonged storage of life without loss of liquid diluent or the occurrence of incompatibility problems.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of an injector device for vaccines in which at the time of use all of the stored medicament can be expelled through the needle and into or below the layers of the skin with none of it remaining in the device after use.

In another aspect of this invention it is an object thereof to provide a two-compartment device adapted for the packaging and mixing of wet-dry systems thereby vastly increasing the application of the invention.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the more detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of one embodiment of the injector of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial side sectional view of the device of this invention showing the use of the device in the mixing of wet-dry medication;

FIG. 5 shows the device of FIG. l when it is ready to inject liquid medication;

FIG. 6 shows the device of FIG. 4 in section with the vials removed; I

FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the line 7-7 in FIG.

line 2-2 Discussing the drawings in greater detail, the body of the injector in indicated generally as 10 and has the bottom surface 12 adapted to contact the skin of the patient.

The hollow tubular portion 14 is provided with a thrust portion 16. Either via] 18 or vial 20 is adapted to be received in the tubular portion. Each vial is equipped with a stopper 22 and 24. The needle 26 entends throughout the length of the thrust portion 16 and terminates in a sharpened end 28 immediately above the uppermost portion 30 of the thrust portion 16. The needle 26 also extends outwardly substantially along the plane of the base 12, The projections 32 and 34 on the device help to maintain the sharpened end of the needle 26 in the proper plane.

lt will be understood that the presence of the vials l8 and 20 as shown in FIG. 2 is not necessary to the prac tice of the invention, in fact, this portion of the device could be dispensed with and one or two of the vials packaged separately. Likewise, the use of two vials is necessary only where wet-dry products are used, in which case one vial carries a diluent and the other solid medicament; or where it is normal practice to administer two doses of vaccine in succession in which case each vial will contain a dose of liquid vaccine. Fora simple single dose administration, the vial is simply placed in the position shown in FIG. 5, the sharpened needle end 26 inserted in the skin of the patient and the vial depressed over the thrust portion 16. The thrust portion 16 contacts the thin diaphragm 36 of the stopper 22 holding the same so that it acts as a piston and expels the contents of the vial through the end of the needle.

In the case of a wet-dry product, the device of FIG. 1 is provided with adapter 38 which has integral thrush portion 40. The needle end 26 runs through the center of the thrust portion 40 and is snuggly received therein with the end of the needle projecting a short distance beyond the free end of the thrust portion. As shown more clearly in Fig. 7, the adapter 38 has wings 42 on each side which are slidably receivable in complementary slots in projections 32 and 34 to hold the adapter in place during mixing. To accomplish mixing, vial 18 is positioned over thrust portion 30 and vial 20 over thrust portion 40. The vial 18 is pushed down, transferring its contents to vial 20, as shown in FIG. 4. This process is repeated until mixing is completed, then the vial 20 and adapter 38 are discarded and the mixed medicament administered in the normal way.

Having fully described the invention it is intended that it be limited only by the lawful scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An injector for the injection of vaccines and the like beneath the layers of the skin or between layers of the skin comprising a base membervhaving a generally flat bottom surface adapted to contact the surfaces of the skin, and a hollow' tubular portion extending upwardly with respect to said base member, said hollow tubular portion having received therein a rigid medicament vial, said vial having an open end and a closed end, an imperforate stopper in said open end, said open end facing the bottom of said tubular portion, a thrust portion extending from said base member upwardly within and centrally located in said tubular portion, a hollow needle extending upwardly in said thrust portion, the upwardly portion of said needle having a sharpened end adapted to puncture said stopper, said needle containing an obtuse or right angle bend and terminating with a second sharpened end at or just below that plane defined by said bottom surface of said base member so that when said vial is depressed in said tubular portion, fluid communication is established between the interior of said vial and said second sharpened end.

2. An injector for the injection of vaccines and the like beneath the layers of the skin or between layers of the skin comprising a base member having a generally flat bottom surface adapted to contact the surfaces of the skin, and a hollow tubular portion extending upwardly with respect to said base member, said hollow tubular portion having received therein a rigid medicament vial, said vial having an open end and a closed end, an imperforate stopper in said open end, said open end facing the bottom of said tubular portion, a thrust portion extending from said base member upwardly within and centrally located in said tubular portion, a hollow needle extending upwardly in said thrust portion, and beyond the upper end of said'thrust portion but terminating below the upper end of said hollow tubular member; the upwardly extending portion of said needle having a sharpened end adapted to puncture said stopper, said needle containing an obtuse or right angle bend and terminating with a second sharpened end at or just below that plane defined by said bottom I surface of said base member so that when said vial is depressed in said tubular portion, fluid communication is established between the interior of said vial and said second sharpened end.

3. A two-compartment medicament storage device for the mixing of wet-dry products comprising a base member having a generally flat bottom surface adapted to contact the surfaces of the skin, and a hollow tubular portion extending upwardly with respect to said base member, said hollow tubular portion having received therein a rigid medicament vial, said vial having an open end and closed end, an imperforate stopper in said open end, said open end facing the bottom of said tubular portion, a thrust portion extending from said base member upwardly within and centrally located in said vertical tubular portion, a hollow needle extending upwardly in said vertical thrust portion and terminating in a sharpened end just beyond the end of said thrust portion, a second hollow tubular portion lying generally in the plane of said base and being carried thereby, said second hollow tubular portion having received therein a rigid medicament vial having an imperforate stopper in its open end, a second thrust portion extending concentrically within said second hollow tubular portion, said needle containing a substantially right angle bend running through the second thrust portion and terminating in a sharpened end just beyond the end of said second thrust portion in a plane at or just below that plane defined by the bottom of the base, said needle puncturing said stoppers when said vials are advanced over said thrust portions whereby fluid communication is established by said needle between the con tents of said vials.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said base includes two spaced apart projections extending horizontally from said vertical hollow tubular portion and formed integrally therewith, slots formed in said projections and facing each other, wings on opposite exterior sides of said second hollow tubular portion, said wings being slidably received in said slots whereby said second hollow tubular portion can be removed and discarded after use.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein said base member has integrally associated therewith hollow means for snugly receiving and carrying one or more vials in a vertical position generally parallel to said vertical tubular portion.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein said base member has integrally associated therewith hollow means for snugly receiving and carrying one or more vials in a vertical position generally parallel to said vertical tubular portion. 

1. An injector for the injection of vaccines and the like beneath the layers of the skin or between layers of the skin comprising a base member having a generally flat bottom surface adapted to contact the surfaces of the skin, and a hollow tubular portion extending upwardly with respect to said base member, said hollow tubular portion having received therein a rigid medicament vial, said vial having an open end and a closed end, an imperforate stopper in said open end, said open end facing the bottom of said tubular portion, a thrust portion extending from said base member upwardly within and centrally located in said tubular portion, a hollow needle extending upwardly in said thrust portion, the upwardly portion of said needle having a sharpened end adapted to puncture said stopper, said needle containing an obtuse or right angle bend and terminating with a second sharpened end at or just below that plane defined by said bottom surface of said base member so that when said vial is depressed in said tubular portion, fluid communication is established between the interior of said vial and said second sharpened end.
 2. An injector for the injection of vaccines and the like beneath the layers of the skin or between layers of the skin comprising a base member having a generally flat bottom surface adapted to contact the surfaces of the skin, and a hollow tubular portion extending upwardly with respect to said base member, said hollow tubular portion having received therein a rigid medicament vial, said vial having an open end and a closed end, an imperforate stopper in said open end, said open end facing the bottom of said tubular portion, a thrust portion extending from said base member upwardly within and centrally located in said tubular portion, a hollow needle extending upwardly in said thrust portion, and beyond the upper end of said thrust portion but terminating below the upper end of said hollow tubular member; the upwardly extending portion of said needle having a sharpened end adapted to puncture said stopper, said needle containing an obtuse or right angle bend and terminating with a second sharpened end at or just below that plane defined by said bottom surface of said base member so that when said vial is depressed in said tubular portion, fluid communication is established between the interior of said vial and said second sharpened end.
 3. A two-compartment medicament storage device for the mixing of wet-dry products comprising a base member having a generally flat bottom surface adapted to contact the surfaces of the skin, and a hollow tubular portion extending upwardly with respect to said base member, said hollow tubular portion having received therein a rigid medicament vial, said vial having an open end and closed end, an imperforate stopper in said open end, said open end facing the bottom of said tubular portion, a thrust portion extending from said base member upwardly within and centrally located in said vertical tubular portion, a hollow needle extending upwardly in said vertical Thrust portion and terminating in a sharpened end just beyond the end of said thrust portion, a second hollow tubular portion lying generally in the plane of said base and being carried thereby, said second hollow tubular portion having received therein a rigid medicament vial having an imperforate stopper in its open end, a second thrust portion extending concentrically within said second hollow tubular portion, said needle containing a substantially right angle bend running through the second thrust portion and terminating in a sharpened end just beyond the end of said second thrust portion in a plane at or just below that plane defined by the bottom of the base, said needle puncturing said stoppers when said vials are advanced over said thrust portions whereby fluid communication is established by said needle between the contents of said vials.
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein said base includes two spaced apart projections extending horizontally from said vertical hollow tubular portion and formed integrally therewith, slots formed in said projections and facing each other, wings on opposite exterior sides of said second hollow tubular portion, said wings being slidably received in said slots whereby said second hollow tubular portion can be removed and discarded after use.
 5. The device of claim 3 wherein said base member has integrally associated therewith hollow means for snugly receiving and carrying one or more vials in a vertical position generally parallel to said vertical tubular portion.
 6. The device of claim 3 wherein said base member has integrally associated therewith hollow means for snugly receiving and carrying one or more vials in a vertical position generally parallel to said vertical tubular portion. 